Sound tape splicing kit



June 25, 1957 B. A. COUSINO SOUND TAPE SPLICING KIT Filed March 12, 1954INVENTOI'L y 56 I a 6 %fi I I E 6,2;

United States Patent 1 SOUND TAPE SPLICING KIT Bernard A'. Cousino,Toledo, Qhi'o Applicafion. March 12, 1954, Serial No. 415,782-

3 Claims. (Cl; 206-47) This invention relates to a novel method ofsplicing tapes, particularly sound tapes, and to a kit embodying thenecessary equipment to practice the method.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of splicing soundtape wherein the abutting ends of two tapes" are heldtogether with aminimum of continuity displacement therebetween.

Another object of'this invention is to provide a small portable kitembodying a combination of all the necessary equipment to'effect thesplicing, the parts comprising simple but effective means for the propersplicingv of sound tape by those with little or no experience in thisfield.

And another object of this invention is to provide a. set ofcooperatiVeparts which may be set up at any con venient location, and the methodpracticedrtherewithwith a minimum of elfort and time.

Other objects. and advantages :of. this invention relating to thearrangement, operation and functions of the related elements of thestructure, to various details of construction, to combination of partsand to economies of manufacture; will'beapparent to those skilled in theart upon consideration-of the following description and appended claims,reference being-had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification wherein like reference characters designate correspondingparts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the kit disclosed herein;

2 provide the attaching element 18. The strip '18 has. a substantialthickness so that in holding the block mounted on the plate '10,, apocket 20 is provided between the blockand the plate. This provides aconvenient storage space fora cutting tool '22, herein shown as asingle-edge safety razor blade. By inserting the cutting. edge of theFig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the kit of Fig. 1;

:Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the kit, the major parts thereofshown separated for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the splicing block illustrating a step in themethod disclosed herein;

Fig. 5 is a view on the line V-V, in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating an additional step inthe method.

The kit herein disclosed includes the combination of a pair of majoritems enclosed within an envelope, which is sold as a unit, and containsall the necessary equipment and material for the splicing of a number ofsound tapes.

The kit includes a card-like sheet or paperboard plate 10 having oneside 12 thereof coated to provide a glossy or enamelfinish thereon. Theopposite side 14 may be untreated and provides space for carryingprinted instructions for the use of the equipment mounted on the side12. This equipment includes splicer block 16 which has a pressuresensitive strip 18 adhering to the rearward or back face thereof. Thismaterial 18 is a length of double-faced pressure sensitive tape so thatone side thereof may adhere to the block 16 while its opposite face mayhave a limited adhesive attachment to the face 12 of the card or plate10.

The glossy surface of the paperboard plate 10 resists Strong adhesionthereto by the tape of the type used to blade 22 into the pocket 20between the plate. '10. and the strip 18 or between the strip 18. andthe block 16, both the cutting-tool and the block are mounted ontheplate 10 with sufhcient adhesion to permit normal handling and maintainregular storage in the kit. as sembly.

The kit also includes a second paperboardplate or card-like sheet 24,likewise havinga glossy or enamel surface 26 on. one side thereof, andan untreated. surface 28 on its opposite side. The faces 14-and 28 areplaced together in the kit, and being of ordinary paper stock havelittle or no tendency to stick together. The face 2'8 may also includeadditional instructions particularly' directed to the use of thematerials mounted. on the opposite or glossyside 26. The plate 24i's'preferably of rectangular form and has placed along. the surface 26thereof a plurality of. tapes 30' sospaced as. to. provide exposedportions of the face 26. on each. side of each of ,the tapes 30, whichtapes are herein shown asv three in number.

Thetapes 30' are of a material best sdescribedlasrayon fabric or acetaterayon. The tapes. 30 areQpreferably disposed longitudinally, alongthesurface of. the plate. 241 Transversi'ng the tapes 30'isa seriesofpressure.sen'si tive lesser tapes, or ribbons, 34', which may beofthe: type known as 3M-41. Several spaced stripsof this ribbon mayextendlaterally across the card-ZIengagiDg. the outer surfaces of thetapes- 30 and the exposed portibns 32 ofthe. supporting surface. i

This particular combination. of the tape. and ribbon provides'a-uniqueresult. The ribbons 34 beingpressure sensitive, have a limited'afiinityfor the card surface and practically no adhesive aflinity for the tapes'30, and the adhesion to the glossy card surface is so limited that theribbons 34 are easily peeled from the glossy surface of the card, andeven more easily separated from the tapes 3!). The ribbons 34 havesevered joints 36 in the reg'ions of the intermediate exposed areas 32.This cuts each lateral ribbon 34 into a series of patches 38, hereinshown three to each ribbon. The result is that a comparatively largenumber of patches may be placed on a comparatively small card. The cards10, 24 are placed back to back, and then inserted into an envelope 40,which may -be formed from a transparent plastic sheet and which servesas a carrier and protector for the kit parts and allows displaytherethrough.

The envelope 46 may be easily opened and the two I contained cardsseparated. The .splicer block is easily removed from the card and willcarry the strip 18 therewith. This adhesive back on the splicer providesa convenient mounting for the block on any convenient working surface,simply by pressing the block firmly into place. Such block may even beeasily mounted on a recorder without damage to the surface finishthereof.

The tape ends to be spliced are pressed into the groove 42 extendinglongitudinally and centrally across the block 16. This groove 42 is of aslightly less width than the width of the tapes to be spliced. Thus, bypressing the tape ends into the groove, edge friction will hold the tapetherein in place without the use of any additional clamping means (Fig.5). The ends of the tape are pressed into the splicer groove overlappingeach other, as for example about one half inch with the oxide recordingsurface face down. The two tapes are thus held firmly together.

When the tapes are positioned within the block, the cutting edge of theblade 22 is drawn through one of the guide slots 44 extending across theface of the block 16. These guides 44 determine the angular extent ofthe out made through the tapes whereby an end to end abutting cut may bemade or a diagonal cut, if so desired. Sufficient pressure is exertedagainst the cutting tool so that the cut 46 is made through boththicknesses of the tape. Following this cut, the tail end 48 of the tapemay be removed from the jig. This leaves the entire upper faces of thetapes 50, 52 exposed without any overlap therebetween. The cutting toolmay be conveniently. used to remove this tail piece by working onecorner of the blade under the tail piece and lifting it free as thesevered piece will tend to adhere to the blade. A patch 38 is thenremoved from the card 24 and pressed onto the tapes 50, 52 bridging thecut 46. This pressure sensitive piece has a strong adhesive attractionto the exposed surfaces of the tapes and will lock the abutting endsthereof and securely hold the same. When the patch 38 has been firmlypressed across the cut 46 and smoothed into continuous adherencethroughout its length, the two tapes t 52 may be grasped and lifted freefrom the block 16 with the splice complete.

A splice thus produced With normal care holds the abutting ends soclosely together that the juncture is hardly noticeable on the oxideside and the patch 33 is of such thinness that there is a negligibledisturbance in the continuity of the joined sound tape.

' In the fabrication of the cutting blocks, a slab of plastic is out tothe desired dimensions and the groove 42 is formed thereon by a suitabletool. In the cutting of this groove 42, the sides 54 thereof, which aresubstan t-i-ally perpendicular, are provided with a roughened ornon-polished surface. This roughened surface further adds in grippingthe tape therehetween for frictional holding without. an actual bind.

It is to be understood that the above description of the presentinvention is intended to disclose an embodiment thereof to those skilledin the art, 'but that the invention is not to be construed as limited inits application to the details of construction and arrangement of partsillustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capableof being practiced and carried out in various ways Without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. The language used in the specificationrelating to the operation and function of the elements of the inventionis employed for purposes of description and not of limitation, and it isnot intended to limit the scope of the following claims beyond therequirements of the prior art.

What is claimed and desired to secure by United States Letters Patent:

1. A kit adapted to supply the equipment for splicing sound tapeincluding a card therein having at least one face thereof provided witha glossy surface normally limiting the adherence of pressure sensitivestrips thereto, a tape splicer block having one face of a double facedpressure sensitive strip adhering thereto, and the opposite face of saidstrip engaging the said glossy surface.

2. A kit adapted to supply the equipment for splicing sound tapeincluding a card therein having at least one face thereof provided with[a glossy surface normally limiting the adherence of pressure sensitivestrips thereto, a tape splicer block having one face of a double facedpressure sensitive strip adhering thereto, the opposite face of saidstrip engaging the said glossy surface, said strip providing a pocketbetween the splicer and card, and a cutting plate inset in said pocket.

3. A kit for splicing sound tapes embodying a pair of cards havingabutting faces, the outer faces of said cards being coated to rendersaid faces adapted for limited adhesion thereto of pressure sensitivestrips, one of said coated faces having a double adhesive sensitivefaced strip attached thereto, a cutter blade attached to the oppositeface of said strip, and the other coated face having longi tudinal tapesthereacross and laterally adhesive sensitive strips across said tapes.

Carson May 8, 1951 2,599,667 Tall June 10, 1952 2,667,019 =Feyrer Jan.26, 1954

